I always wondered what had happened to my missing brother. Could I ever forgive my father for driving him away?

A poignant reflection on the loss of a father and his son, Marshall, who died by suicide in 1950s America, explores themes of grief, societal expectations, and unresolved loss. The author grapples with questions of whether their father was shaped by his time or allowed Marshall to "rally round," highlighting the pressures on parents to protect male children. The story concludes with a moment of healing as the author discovers old records, offering closure amid years of uncertainty. This narrative underscores themes of broken relationships and societal norms while evoking themes of resilience and the complexities of grief.